Meet Virushka’s wedding planner

Lucknow girl and Delhi-based wedding planner Devika Narain and her award-winning photographer husband Joseph Radhik were the faces behind the most high-profile wedding of Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma on 11 December in Italy.

While Narain designed the wedding, her husband Joseph Radhik with his team from ‘Stories by Joseph Radhik’ were behind the lens at the Virushka wedding. Both Narain and Radhik got married themselves earlier this year in February.

Devika Narain the brains behind Virat & Anushka’s wedding

On the whole experience

“We’re just waking up here. It’s finally all settling in, the cold is seeping back in and at this point I’m feeling an odd mix of relief and immense excitement. This wedding has been probably the biggest coup of the year, we’ve all been a part of a grand, super fun conspiracy and we’re all both relieved and excited today.”

How was Virushka to work with?

“Each detail was custom-made for Anushka and like any regular bride, she was incredibly invested in the process. She matched the outfit, flowers and even her jewellery to create her magical wedding.”

Was Anushka hyper about anything?

“No. She was a super involved bride.”

Why Tuscany?

“They chose a beautiful villa in Tuscany as the backdrop. The property is family styled villas and the vibe was of a ghar ka shaadi – something we absolutely love to create.”

Any special arrangements made?

“Our teams worked tirelessly for 45 days with flowers flown in from Holland and intricate fabrics from India to create this magical wedding.”

Devika did her schooling from Loreto Convent, Lucknow and graduated from Lady Sri Ram College, Delhi. After having worked with a top wedding planning firm, Devika started her own venture – Devika Narain & Company – in 2015, specialising in destination weddings.

Devika Narain had previously designed the weddings of cricketers Dinesh Kartik and Robin Uthappa.

How did you land the gig?

“Anushka approached me via their planners Shaadisquad a few months ago. I remember when we were first signed on, we didn’t know the venue or who was getting married. It’s all been a fabulous ride since then.”

“Anushka, chose us because she wanted a very intimate wedding. She was very clear that this was a celebration for her family and that she had no one to show off to, or impress.”

What was the theme of the big wedding, what was the philosophy behind the designs?

“Anushka and Virat are very spiritual and great lovers of Rumi – an anthology of his poems was given to each guest. The setting was inspired by the idea of growth and prosperity and designed like an overgrown garden […] For the main ceremony, we chose a palette of lavender, soft pink and powder blue.”

Which function was the highlight for you?

The wedding and bonfire night on 10 December, which got rained out, and everyone had karaoke around a fireplace.